In 2021, Piano Sano took up residence at the Château de Saint-Maigrin in the Charente-Maritime region of France, a magical break after Covid. The joy of getting together again for some, and meeting each other for others. Nine authors accompanied for a few days, six projects in development, fiction, animation, shorts and features. A look back at these projects and their progress.
In silence everything roars by Akaki Popkhadze, co-written by Florent Hill is currently in postproduction. Shot in Georgia in early 2023, the project received support from the Région Sud shortly after its residency and has been pre-bought by France Télévisions. Director Jean-Benoit Ugeux’s first feature film, L’âge mûr, co-written by Julie Debiton, has since received development and production funds from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium. On the animation side, Shadows by Rand Beiruty, graphic author Marta Magnuska, and Bras cassé by Thomas Baudre both received development fund from the CNC’s Fonds d’aide à l’innovation at the December 2021 commission. Bras cassé is also a winner of the Lagardère animation 2022 grant and is supported by the Pays de la Loire region. Shadows will go into production in January 2024 at the Résidence Ciclic, thanks in particular to the CNC and the pre-production fund obtained in early 2023.
Piano Sano is currently working on a new format for its annual residency, for spring 2024! A program that will include piano, fireplace, pedal boat and cognac-Schweppes.